The Prower Antimonopoly
by Leolu
Summary: Tails is a young entrepreneur in the making—his ProwCom was a huge success! Whenever the country faces a sudden economic depression, however, he is forced to temporarily halt production. To stop the obvious cause of the depression, Eggman, from building a monopoly, he'll have to move out of his comfort zone and into the world of big business! [Renamed from "The Prower Demonopoly"]
1. Prologue

To start this story off, I've got a pretty long author's note:

IMPORTANT: this is a prologue, so it is purely expository and possibly boring. I promise that chapter one will be the beginning of the actual story. If you want to skip to chapter one, I'll include a small summary of the prologue at the beginning.

'Æ' is called an ash. It's pronounced like the 'a' in 'ash'.

The Monum Party and the Æquitatem Party are two fictional political parties that I made up for the Sonic universe because my stories include no political bias! These parties in no way represent any real life parties! Please don't start fictional political debates, thanks!

Disclaimer: I named all businesses, products, and humans. If they happen to be the same name as a real one, that is a coincidence. Also, Sega owns all Sonic characters.

I guess you could call this a prequel to _Masterminds…_ I dunno, I'll tie them together somehow! If this is the first story you've read from me and you like it, I recommend _Masterminds_ for you to read!

One last thing: my first three stories followed some pretty strict grammar and punctuation rules, and I feel like that's limiting their potential. For this one, I'll be straying from these rules a little bit to see how it does; I hope you don't mind.

In honor of August 19th, Tails's birthday (a national holiday, obviously), I present to you a new story! Sit back and enjoy because this is a story for the history books!

* * *

Once upon a time, I invented something that people liked. I made a deal with a respected manufacturer and hired a skilled marketing team. The beta version of the ProwCom was a definite improvement from the old flip phone; it grossed over a million in a month! I would like to have said "the end" and be done with the story, but it was not the end. There was something else… Something destructive that had been waiting a long time to be released…

That's a story for another time, though. I was sitting in my office, working on the next update to the ProwCom OS Beta. The first two updates had fixed hundreds of minor-and several major-bugs, but there were always more. I was checking the rather unprofessional website that I set up for bug reports when my desk phone rang. The phone rarely rang; most people preferred to avoid verbal communication when possible. With curiosity, I picked it up.

"Office of Tails Prower: Tails speaking," I formally greeted.

"Tails Prower? I have a… an odd request… I want to join your company." My face fell into a frown. "I'm finishing my Bachelor's degree in computer science, but I can do other things, too! I just… can't figure out how to apply… I've been searching around, and I can't even find the name of the company…"

"Sorry… There is no company." I hated to disappoint, but I hadn't even considered making a business out of the ProwCom.

"No company? Does… that mean no more Prow… devices?"

"There probably will be, but I'm working as an individual with third-party marketing and manufacturing."

"Oh. Okay, then…" I really didn't want to leave him disappointed, so I decided to make a hollow offer.

"Hey, if I do decide to start a business, I'll give you a call." I pulled a pen and paper from my desk. "What's your name and number?"

"Jim Wilkins! Six, two, four, five, five, five, three, eight, eight, three." I copied the information and put the pen back in its place.

"Okay. Don't be anticipating it too much, though."

"Yes, thank you!"

"Alright, goodbye." I hung up and shook my head. I knew nothing about business-I left that to the marketing team. All I knew now to do was design the device and fix bugs. There were also too many cons of owning a business; it was simply too risky. Even if I did learn how to manage a company, I just wouldn't be interested. Even with all the negatives, I decided to look at the positives.

 _It would be easier to make new products more frequently with an actual business… but that's about all. I'll still be making products, just not as fast._

The lack of positives was decisive. I would not start a business, but continue to make devices. I went back to working on the update.

x

The evening news was rather interesting. According to the reporter, the economic recession was lasting a bit longer than expected; two months, in fact. It was no concern to me, however, because I did not own a business.

x

Every day, I would work and watch the news. Each day the reporter would mention the prolonged recession. After several weeks, something changed. Something went wrong. That evening, a line graph was displayed next to the reporter. The line was at a gentle downwards slope for most of the graph, but dropped off steeply at the end.

"Just weeks ago, this recession was of little concern; simply lasting a bit longer than anticipated. As of yesterday, however, the GDP has dropped fifteen percent… Enough to be considered a depression… This is directly associated with the skyrocketing prices of the country's two largest industries: metals (mostly steel) and petroleum."

My heart dropped.

"Within the last week, the price of steel has doubled. This is, according to the steel industry's top competitors, due to a lack of raw iron from the mines, as is the case in other metal industries. When the major companies of the mining industry were questioned… we were informed that over half of the mines in the country were sabotaged-bombed. Strangely, all of the mines that were sabotaged belonged to the six largest metal companies. This is almost unanimously considered to be an act of Dr. Eggman, so Sonic and friends will be contacted shortly.

"The price of petroleum has nearly tripled. There are conflicting reports on the reason for this, but many Monic Economists blame President Keiver's recent change of trade policy for the lack of oil. According to Jane Magner, a Monic journalist, the Æquitatum Party's trade reform has "clearly allowed our country to export too much petroleum for a sub-marginal cost." Although this claim is still being tested by the UFBI, many Monic-and even some Æquitatic-representatives have voiced their agreement to it."

I turned off the television. _Metals… and plastics…_ I raised my Com and began to dial my manufacturer's number, but my office phone rang. I ran to answer it.

"Office of Tails Prower: Tails speaking. I have some _extremely_ important business to attend to; could I get your number and call you back?" I grabbed a pen.

"Hello, Tails. I'm Grant Holter, a representative of the EWD. I'm calling to inform you of recent Eggman activity, and-"

"Yeah: he's been bombing the mines. I'll look into it in ten minutes, but I have something very important to do."

"You have been summoned to our department at GUN HQ. We request that you arrive as soon as possible. Sonic is already here." I silently groaned.

"Sonic? Can I talk to him?"

"Can… I don't think… Hold a moment, please…" I held a moment. There was an inaudible exchange "Yes, you can…"

I heard the phone being passed from hand to hand. "What's up, Tails?"

I relaxed. "Hey, Sonic. Do you know what we were summoned for? It's nothing different from any other time Eggman's attacked, is it?"

"Well, they seem to care a little more when Eggman hurts their income than when he threatens the people. That's my guess of why we're having a meeting about it."

"Heh… Yeah… I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Alright, see ya here, bud!" The phone was passed again.

"Please hurry… He may… "go for a run…" inside the building again." I snickered.

"I'll hurry," I said before hanging up. I rushed to my garage to start my plane-a small, blue, beautiful biplane. After driving it from the garage and taking to the air, I finished dialing my manufacturer on my Com. After a moment, he answered.

"Indus Manufacturing: Nathan Leboni speaking."

"Hey, Nate. It's Tails." Somehow, I was on a first-name basis with my manufacturer.

"Ah, Tails! I knew you'd call sooner or later. I guess you want to cancel production on ProwComs, huh?"

"Yeah… Just until we get this sorted out…"

"Right… I need identification, though."

"I've got my pilot's license with me. Can I just send a picture?"

"Well… it's supposed to be in person, but I'll accept a picture."

"Cool…" I took my license from its place and snapped a picture of it with my Com. I sent the picture to Nate's number. "I sent it."

"... I got it. I'll cancel it as soon as I can."

"Thanks, Nate."

"No problem." After he hung up, I breathed a sigh of relief. I checked my map… Just a few more minutes to HQ.

* * *

I hope this wasn't too boring: prologues are nothing exciting, but it's always good to have some background.

In case you were wondering, a ProwCom is like a flip phone on your wrist with a touch screen and access to the internet. That's about all (before the ProwCom, personal communication technology wasn't any more advanced than flip phones). The reason Tails can handle doing all the updates by himself is because of how simple it is. I guess that's all there is to say…

If you're interested, please do let me know: any and all support/criticism is appreciated!


	2. HQ Meeting

Guest: thank you for the support! You can certainly count on more chapters in the future!

Tails is fourteen. At the moment (8/23/18), I haven't finished updating _Masterminds_ 's continuity just yet, so the chapters after the third still say that he's eight. I'll fix that soon.

Sorry it took so long. I've been pretty busy with other parts of FFN (and school) and didn't have much inspiration, but it's here now! Enjoy!

* * *

I approached GUN HQ. As I came into radio range, I tuned into the Air Control's frequency.

"Tails Prower requesting landing. I was summoned by the EWA."

"Confirming…" HQ came over the horizon. It was a large, dark, multistory building. A fenced in airfield of matching size was just west of it. "You are cleared for landing in Landing Strip A, Hangar 2C."

"Thanks." I soon touched down on the designated runway, then drove into Hangar 2C to park. I turned off the plane and dismounted. As I went to exit, Sonic sped by the opened doorway. I heard him skid to a halt and return to the entrance.

"There you are, bro! Follow me." Without giving me a chance to greet him back, he set off down the hallway at a brisk pace. I followed close behind him. After a few turns, a set of stairs, and a few more turns, we stopped. There was a set of double doors. Above them, the was a sign that read ' _Eggman Watch Association_ '. We entered the well lit room. Inside were two men: one was big, buff, uniformed, and stone faced, while the other was short and lean with a rather unnerved face.

"Tails," the larger one greeted loudly, "good to see you here!" He took a seat and offered for us to do the same. We took our seats. "I am Commander Marshall, but you can call me Commander. As you know, were meeting about Eggman's most recent endeavours-"

Sonic raised his hand. "... Yes, Sonic?"

"Why haven't we met about any of Eggman's other schemes before?"

The Commander kept a straight face. "This is a very large-scale issue. There's not a simple, immediate solution to it."

"And a giant space colony hurtling towards us wasn't large-scale?" A tinge of distaste appeared on the Commander's face.

"The EWA didn't exist then. In fact, it was formed only days after."

"Hm…" Sonic laid back in his seat.

"Anyway… According to our analysts, the sabotaged mines belonged to only the larger companies in the metal industries: the media had already covered that. This, however, does not explain why the unaffected metal companies have also raised their prices. Logically, they would take advantage of the larger companies' predicament and keep their prices the same. When we questioned the owners of these businesses, we were informed that they were experiencing a shortage of raw ore as well. When we tried to contact the mining companies that sell ore to the small metal companies, they were unresponsive. We need you two to go to each of these mining companies to see what's going on."

"Is that all?" Sonic asked.

"For now. Here," he slid us a card, "are the names and locations of the mining companies."

"Only three?" I asked as I inspected the card.

"Correct. These three companies sell ore to all of the small metal companies. Now, the sooner you go, the better your chances."

"Who needs luck when you win every time?" Sonic stood up. "But still… Let's get going, Tails."

I stood as well and grabbed the card. "Yeah… Are you running there or flying with me?"

"Running: it'll be faster to split up. I'll take the second while you take the first." I nodded.

"No," the Commander interjected. We both turned our heads to the interruption. "it's safer to stay together. We can't risk having one of you captured."

"Um… Sorry, Commander," Sonic asserted, "but we've been doing this for years. Besides, it's happened before: we can handle it." The Commander adopted a pensive look.

"Very well. I can't stop you, so do what you will." Sonic flashed his trademark grin.

"Thanks." He turned to me and signaled for us to leave. Before I passed through the door, I looked back to find the Commander was right behind me. I jumped. He laughed and patted my shoulder. In the hallway, he went the opposite direction of us…

We were walking down the hallway instead of running. I took this to mean that something was on Sonic's mind.

"What's the matter?" He snapped from his thoughtful trance.

"Huh? Oh… Nothing much: I just think there Commander's a little…"

"Overbearing? He's a Commander," I answered, "it's part of his job."

"Yeah, but… it's just that he's trying to tell us how to deal with Eggman…"

"He's used to giving orders-a lot of 'em… And he _did_ give us some useful information," I said holding up the card. Sonic nodded.

"You're right. I guess solving economic problems isn't our strong suit, even if it does involve Eggman. Hey, can I see that card?" I handed him the card. After a quick glance, he handed it back.

"I'll never remember that. Can you send a map to my Com?"

"Sure," I answered as I began to tap on the screen. I entered the card's second address into the map application… _Maplication! I'll put that in the next update._ When the map loaded, I tapped 'Share', 'Message', and 'Sahnic! Sahnic the Hedgehog!'.

"Why is that still my contact?"

"I'm never changing that. I've still got the video." Sonic groaned and shook his head. I laughed and sent the map to him.

"Got it… Well, we're here!" We entered the hangar that my plane rested in. "I guess we'll regroup at the third company?"

"Yeah," I answered as I hopped into the cockpit. I started the plane, and he waved. I waved back, and he ran off. I led the plane to the runway and took to the air.

* * *

How was that for a first chapter? Did you like it? Either way, I plan on finishing this story as well.

Next chapter: ( _I have no idea what will happen_ )

So stay tuned!


	3. DigCorp

Sonic and Tails have split up to find out what's going on with these mining companies, so let's follow Sonic for a change!

Here's why Sonic couldn't use the map himself in the last chapter: Tails is using an experimental version of ProwOS, which includes very basic applications like maps and calendar and stuff. The current public version does not. Email, message, and internet browser, along with regular things on a regular flip phone, are supported on the public version.

Remember: x is break, x-x-x is POV change. Not sure if I remembered to say that.

Enjoy!

* * *

Shortly after I left GUN HQ, a message from Tails came through on my Com. I stopped on the side of the highway I was following to read it.

 _Start recording as soon as you enter the building. Sound only. Commander's request._

After a moment of contemplation, I decided to go along with it. I opened the sound recorder and continued on my way.

x

After an hour of following the map, I came upon a rather large building with a simplistic facade. A sign stood tall facing the highway.

 _DigCorp_

 _Aluminum sale postponed: date TBD_

I raced across the almost empty parking lot, started the recorder, and stepped through the entrance. The inside was almost as plain as the outside, except for a price chart posted on the wall behind the front desk.

"Good afternoon! Welcome to DigCorp," the secretary greeted. If he recognized me, he didn't show it.

"Afternoon!" I returned. "I need to talk to the boss."

"Ah, Dr. Lebowski… She's very busy at the moment. Would you like an appointment with a representative?"

"It's pretty important. GUN sent me." He nodded slowly before reaching for the phone.

"Let's see what we can do about that…" He dialed a number, presumably Dr. Lebowski's. There was an uncomfortably long pause p. "… … Yes, sorry, I understand. Sonic the Hedgehog was sent by GUN. He needs to talk to you… Yes, Sonic. Yes, ma'am." He hung up. "Her office is room two-hundred-fifteen."

I flashed a thumbs up. "Thanks!" I took the nearest set of stairs to the second floor and found the fifteenth room. I knocked.

"Come in!" I obeyed. Dr. Lebowski was sitting at a rather organized desk with relatively free papers on it. She was a petite woman of no older than thirty. She looked up towards me. "Sonic, what brings you here?" she asked in a rather stressed voice. I hesitated to answer.

"Well… the Commander didn't actually tell me what to say or ask: he just sent me to see what's going on." She folded her arms and leaned forward on her desk. "GUN contacted you some time ago, and you never answered. They got pretty suspicious since Eggman was involved, and all… so what's up?"

She laughed. "Look, that email was sent yesterday. I've been swamped with businesses work since the depression hit, so I'm still yet to get around to it. I know it's important and all, but I've got to keep my business afloat… So, is that all?"

"Hm… Let me check…" I opened my Com and glanced at Dr. Lebowski's desk tag.

 _Dr. Shannon Lebowski PhD._

Her email address was right below her name. I exited the recorder, tapped the 'email' shortcut, then 'compose'. I entered her address.

 _if eggmans involved in this, cough_

I sent it and quickly resumed the recording. After a moment, the computer chimed, causing her to groan. After a few clicks, though, she laughed again.

"No, Eggman's not involved in this. It's purely business."

"Oh… Well, then there's another thing I want to talk about! All of the companies you sell ore to say that there's suddenly a "mysterious" shortage. What's up with that?" A sigh escaped her.

"Yes… As you may know, there's been some pretty serious inflation lately: because of the… incidents in the petroleum industry, the nation has lost a lot of value. Because of this, we've had to lay off a lot of workers: unfortunately, most of these were miners. Again: it's only been a day. There was simply a lack of communication. Have GUN check back next week: I promise everything will be sorted out by then." I nodded and leaned back in my chair.

"One last thing. There are two other mining businesses that have been doing the exact same thing. Do you know anything about that?"

"Ah, Exxodio and Horu Co. Heheh… I wouldn't be surprised to learn that we're going through the exact same thing. They call us the Tamil Kings of the small metal industries."

"Who are the Tamil Kings?" I wondered.

"Merchants, probably. Way back in the ancient times. It's not important, though. The point is: there's no need to be suspicious. I'm sure the other two businesses are having the same problems. There's nothing to worry about." I got up from my seat.

"I see… Thanks for your time!"

"No problem." I headed for the door. "Hey, if you or your brother ever need any metal, you know who to call!"

I laughed. "Sure thing!" I shut the door behind me. I raced down the hallway, down the stairs, and to the lobby. I thanked the secretary before leaving. I raced back across the almost empty parking lot and to the side of the highway. "See Commander? Nothing to worry about!" I ended the recording and opened the messenger. I tapped 'lil' bro' and typed a message:

 _where are you rn?_ After a moment, he answered.

 _Still on my way to Exxodio. Are you done with DigCorp?_

 _yeah. no need to investagate the other 2. digcorps boss explained everything._

 _Ok. I'll ask the Commander about it. Also, remind me to include auto-correct in the next update._

I scoffed. Auto-correct was already available, but I had it turned off. He would say something of the sort every time I misspelled something.

 _yeah yeah_

I sat on the side of the road for a minute waiting for the Commander's answer. Just before I was going to start running laps around DigCorp, the answer came.

 _Commander believes you. He wants to know how fast you can get back to HQ._

 _safely? 30 minutes. ill be a little tired, though. and very hungry. do they have food at hq?_

 _Yes. Don't hurt yourself._

 _when have i ever_

I didn't wait for the list that probably followed. I closed the Com and made for HQ at breakneck speed.

x-x-x

Sonic beat me to HQ by fifteen minutes, despite me putting the plane into its highest gear. I hurried to the meeting room. Sonic, of course, was finishing his third plate of what looked to be vegetables and chicken while the Commander was typing on a laptop. I took my place beside him, and the Commander cleared his throat.

"Are we ready to start?" Sonic and I nodded. He clicked something on the laptop, and Sonic's recording began to play.

x

"See, Commander? Nothing to worry about!"

The recording ended. Sonic continued from where the recording left off: "I'm sure they'll start responding in the next few days; we may be acting a little too fast." He slid his plate away from himself. I took a piece of chicken, which tasted pretty decent.

"Yes, probably… The UFBI should be done investigating the petroleum claims within a week. We'll contact you again when that happens."

"For another meeting?" Sonic asked.

"Possibly."

"No thanks. I'll just check it out tomorrow."

"Where will you check? And for what?" For once, the quick-witted hedgehog had no response.

"Eh, I'll come," he ceded.

"Good. You two are free to leave… or stay: whichever you prefer." Sonic was up and out of the room in a second. I followed, but nabbed another piece of chicken and waved before leaving. I pushed open the door.

"-kin' Comman- oh! You ready?" I nodded and popped the piece of chicken into my mouth. We ran off.

* * *

It seems Sonic isn't too fond of the Commander. I hope this was enjoyable! Any comments and criticisms are welcomed!


	4. Desperation and Conception

NervousWreck96: thank you so much for the support! I'll start following your advice!

Remember, any allusions to real politics is either an accident or a joke with no bias behind it.

Before we start, I know it's been longer than usual since my last update because I'm currently working on SFM animations for both _Masterminds_ and _Chaos Regeneration_. The problem is that I don't have all the voice actors I need. If you or anyone you know can do a Sonic voice, Cosmo voice, a generic-side-character man, or generic-side-character woman, please message me!

Well, here's another chapter!

* * *

On the third day after my waste of time with GUN, the next update for the ProwCom was out. I included all the basic utilities that were available in my experimental version. Within ten minutes of the release, there was a bug report. It was then that I knew I'd have a long day of bug fixing.

x-x-x

Tails was busy doing whatever he did in his office all day, but I was free to use the rest of his house in the meantime. After a quick lunch of chili-no dogs, unfortunately-I raced around the house in search of something to do. I finally plopped onto the couch and checked my Com for the first time that day.

 _ProwOS 3.0.0 is available. Would you like to download it now? With an optimal connection, this may take up to five minutes._

I tapped ' _Yes_ ' and reached for the TV remote. I browsed the channels for a while until I landed on a cartoon that I'd never seen before: Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog. It was showing commercials, but I decided to wait and see what the show was like. My Com chimed to let me know that the update was complete. I passed the commercial time by exploring the new update, which finally included maps! A clock and calendar were also added.

I was pretty immersed in my exploration when a twin-bell alarm clock sounded on the TV, grabbing my attention. A wordless tune began to play as the simply animated hedgehog and fox began to move across the minimally realistic background. It quickly devolved into a chaotic sequence of cartoon violence against two robots and an early depiction of Eggman. I was rather intrigued by the end of the introduction, so I committed myself to watch an episode.

x-x-x

By the end of the work day, I had six bug fixes, a cartoon running on my TV, and a sleeping hedgehog on my couch. I tossed a pillow to wake him up. The usual muttering ensued before he fully woke up.

"Twenty-one and still watching cartoons, huh?" He sat up straight.

"Hn? Cart… Oh! No! I was…" I cut him off with a laugh.

"Scoot over, I need to watch the news." He obeyed as I pressed the seven on the remote and sat down. The mayhem on the screen was replaced by an organized display. It was a minute past six, and the news had already started. I was just in time for what I wanted to see, though.

"Updates on the economy! The GDP is still dropping lightly, but it won't stay that way for long, unfortunately. Although all industries are following a gradual rise in price, the electric industry has met a small spike in costs recently. We can only hope that this spike is a normal event and is not the start of another industry's decline. We have some good news on the petroleum industry, but I'll leave that to Tristin.

"On the business side of things… Several large corporations have been buying out smaller businesses much more frequently than usual. Considering the lack of major depression in the past, it is still unknown whether this behavior is to be expected during a depression or not. Most economists consider this to be normal, though."

The screen gave way to a transition labeled "politics," and quickly revealed another reporter, Tristin Carlson.

"Good evening, Central City! Welcome to Political Central! Just yesterday, President Keiver's bill on trade reform was repealed. Subsequently, the petroleum industry has seen a slight rise today. If it continues to regroup, we'll all know the cause of it… Senator McAckleine has been accused of embezzlement! The details are iffy at the moment, but we'll cover that as soon as more information surfaces… Governor of Manassah, Carl Whiggens, has made a remark on President Keiver today regarding the petrol-"

I changed the channel back to whatever Sonic was watching before and passed the remote to him. "That's all I need for today," I commented as I stood up and headed for the kitchen. I heard the TV turn off before he joined me.

"What's for supper?" I searched the refrigerator before answering.

"I dunno… What were you thinking?" He shook his head in thought.

"Maybe Subway." I nodded in agreement. "Usual?"

"Mmhm." I handed him exact change from my wallet.

"Right back!" He dashed out of the house. I sat at the nearest seat of the dining table and opened my Com.

 _Guess it's time to start designing a new experimental version… ProwOS 4.0.0… Four seems like a revolutionary number, so I want to do something revolutionary! But… what… Mobile device companies have been talking about the possibilities of mobile gaming, but… I'll take a stab at it! What could go wrong?_

I opened the notes app to start planning, but Sonic came through the door. "Price went up."

"'Course it did…" I handed him a few more bills. In less than forty seconds, he was back with our food. I put the change in its place, and we enjoyed our sandwiches.

x

After supper, I initiated my semi-monthly house cleaning. While I was scrubbing the bathroom, it occurred to me that ProwCom production would have to resume pretty soon. I had already begun to consider alternative plastics for the Coms' covering, but the remaining available metals were very expensive. I finished cleaning and headed to my room. There, I listed and weighed my options. My first thought went to Sonic's recording. I sifted through the information.

 _Problem: low metal excavation. Reason: miner layoff. Solution one: pay DigCorp or the other two companies to hire miners in return for some metal. Solution two: start a business and buy out a smaller mining company._

I really didn't want to start my own company. I started my computer and searched for DigCorp, Exxodio, and Horu Co. I jotted down a list of the metals each one sold to see if they had all the metals I needed.

 _DigCorp: Gold, Silver, Copper, Aluminum, Iron._

 _Exxodio: Gold, Copper, Zinc, Iron._

 _Horu: Silver, Copper, Tin, Iron._

It wasn't a very good feeling to find out that none of them sold Palladium. I didn't resign to Plan B yet, however. I searched the internet for Palladium mines and found that there were sixteen across the country. It was _really_ not a good feeling to find that all of them were victims of the mass mine sabotage. Still not giving up, I searched for Palladium mines outside of the country. I audibly growled at the ridiculous prices.

' _cheap Palladium_ '

' _how to get Palladium_ '

' _how to get cheap Palladium'_

' _where to find Palladium_ '

' _Palladuam'_

 _'alternatives for Palladium'_

 _'Al13Fe4'_

 _'Palladium alternatives'_

' _who sells Palladium'_

' _how to convince someone to lower prices'_

 _'how to barter'_

 _'bartering class'_

 _'barter for Palladium'_

 _'how to blackmail'_

 _'is blackmailing illegal'_

 _'how to legally blackmail'_

 _'fheoenxbkwlab dk2kxbbe;he ebcj'_

 _'how'_

 _'how to start and register a business'_

I breathed a sigh of resignation as I initiated my second solution.

* * *

There we have it (finally). I really hope to speed up my updates. I don't enjoy keeping you waiting, but my updates _may_ start coming longer than a week apart. I really hope I can speed that up to a few days. Let's just hope for the best!


	5. Business

I'll be honest: this chapter is all about business. The most intense action sequence is Tails fixing a device. I promise the action will come eventually.

* * *

It took weeks to receive my business license. When the process was finally finished, though, Prower Technologies was officially born: October nineteenth. With reluctance. I had done my research before starting the business, of course, and my plan was already formulated.

I had found a small mining company named Scavo that owned mines to every metal I needed. Just like all the other sabotaged companies, Scavo's value had gone down too much before the mines could be properly restored. As such, the CEO was offering to sell the company. I calculated how much it would cost to restore the mines, and was pleased to find that I had made more than enough money. As soon as I had all of my finances in order, I began to compose an email to the CEO.

 _Mr. Estel_

 _I am Tails Prower, CEO of Prower Technologies. I understand that the depression has put Scavo in a bad position and that you are willing to sell the company. I would like to meet with you to discuss the terms of purchase. When and where are you willing to meet?_

 _Best regards,_

 _Tails Prower_

It seemed a bit too short for my liking, but I sent it anyway. Minutes later, I got a reply.

 _Mr. Prower,_

 _Thank you for your interest in buying Scavo. We can meet me in my office at any time you like; I'll have the necessary paperwork ready to settle the purchase. I hope to see you there._

 _Thank you,_

 _James Estel_

I didn't know what exactly it was that I felt. I was happy that Scavo was up for purchase and that ProwCom production would resume soon, but I was still discomforted about owning a company. Ignoring my own displeasure, I sent a final email, saying that I would be there tomorrow. I drug my hands down my face and rested my head in my hands, knowing that I would likely regret the decision.

x

The next morning, I got ready as usual. While I was washing my plane, GUN called to inform me that I would not be needed for the time being. I only scoffed and said "okay," for I didn't plan on going back either way. I hung up and continued to scrub at the dusty fuselage.

After I washed and rinsed the entire biplane, I opened my Com and entered the search browser. I searched ' _Scavo_ ' and located the company's address, which I copied into the maplication. _Bad pun: I regret including it. Taking it out next update._ The coordinates appeared in the top-right corner as a pin was placed on its location. To my delight, Scavo's building was also in Central City-and it was only fifty blocks away!

 _Guess I washed the plane for nothing…_

I stepped outside and stretched my tails before sprinting off. I could approach the sound barrier, but was never quite able to break it. No matter how hard I spun my tails, I just wasn't aerodynamic enough. I weaved through pedestrians on the sidewalk and flew over streets. Fifty blocks later, I was at small building labeled 'Scavo'. I waited outside to catch my breath before entering.

The inside was empty. There wasn't even a secretary at the front desk. _He can't afford to keep the secretary…_ "Hello?" I called. A door opened somewhere in the back, and a very unkempt human with a disheveled look revealed himself. He smiled and shook my hand.

"Mr. Prower? I'm James Estel."

"Nice to meet you… Er… You can just call me Tails: I'm only fourteen." He released my hand.

"I see. In that case, call me James." I nodded in agreement. "Follow me!" He led me into his office, which was almost bare except for a desk and two collapsible chairs. "Here, have a seat. I have the papers here somewhere…" He dug around in his desk until he produced a small packet and a sheet.

"This packet is the universal business transfer form. Basically, it says that ownership of the business and all businesses-related debts I currently have go to you, and that I have to show you all my debts. I don't have any, by the way. This sheet here is the price agreement contract. So… how much are you willing to pay?"

"Well… I was thinking five percent more than Scavo's value…" James reacted with visible excitement to my offer.

"More? That's a deal! Let me check the exact value…" He began to tap on the screen of a ProwCom that I didn't notice before. He calculated the agreed value and copied it to the contract. It was unexpectedly low. We signed the price contract and the transfer form. "Okay! All you have to do now is pay. Then we need bank records to prove the transaction, and we'll submit it to the DoB after that."

"DoB?"

"Department of Business."

"Oh… I'm new to this whole business thing…"

"Ah, how old's your company?"

"A day old…" his demeanor didn't change, but I could feel his confusion.

"A… day?" I nodded.

"Really, I just needed to buy Scavo so I could start producing ProwComs again."

James's deadpan expression told me that I had done something wrong. "You… you know you don't have to own a business to buy one…" In turn, my deadpan expression told James that I did not know that. He smiled and stored the documents in a leather bag. "You made the right decision, though. It's good to put a brand on your products, and employees would rather work for a business owner than some guy who sells watches," he advised as he held up his Com. "I don't know how you even managed to get them manufactured without a business license, but you can really get things going now that you have one."

I was kicking myself at first, but I began to like what I was hearing. If the only thing I had to do was take a few business classes, it was worth it. "That sounds fun… Oh, right: payment. Will a check work?"

"A check'll work just fine," he answered as I pulled a check from my wallet and filled it out. "Perfect: let's go cash this in and get our bank records!"

x

James drove a small grey car with a messy interior. After a few cranks, the engine started with a rough hum. I looked back to find the rear floorboard littered with papers.

"Ignore that: it's just a mess that I haven't had the time to clean up." I complied and turned my attention to a radio that appeared to be very old. It consisted of two knobs, an analogue frequency display, and a small power switch. He noticed my curiosity. "This radio model is forty years old. It's busted, though… I hear you like fixing things, so play around with it if you want to."

I took up his offer and busied myself with fixing the radio, which was probably more entertainment than I could derive from actually using it. I switched it on, but the display's indicator didn't move. I twisted the frequency knob, but it spun freely with no resistance. I switched it off and gently pried the cover off. I found that the indicator's belt was not attached to the knob, so I pulled the knob back and reattached it. After returning the cover, I switched it on and turned the knob. The indicator inched across the display and sound came from the speakers. This earned a surprised sound from James.

"I'll be… What was the problem?"

"The belt that the knob was supposed to turn wasn't attached to it. That was all it was."

"Huh… Thanks!" He tuned into a station that was playing a song I had never heard before.

x

Getting the bank records was a surprising quick process. After James cashed his check, we showed our IDs, and they printed our records. As we were leaving, I asked where we would have to take our paperwork.

"One of the DoB's headquarters. There's one in the capital of every state."

"The capital? That's too far to drive. Let's stop by my house: I'll show you the way there."

x

I directed James to my house. Once there, I led him to my hangar. He froze at the door.

"A… a plane?"

"Mmhm! This'll be a lot faster." I grabbed my aviation goggles and put them on.

"Is… Is it safe?"

I tossed him a pair of goggles. "Safest fighter plane in the world! The Tornado 3!"

"What happened to the other two?" he questioned as he fired the goggles onto his face.

"They're in the garage." I opened the hangar door and hopped into the plane. James followed. I started the plane and directed it into the runway. My passenger made some unidentifiable noise as we lifted into the air.

x

Andria, capital of Andricston, was a tall city with traditional architecture. The Department Building, the location of all governmental department headquarters, was hard to miss. I parked the plane in a public hangar, paid the fee, and we headed off.

Nothing of note happened inside the building. I walked in with one business and walked out with two. I flew back home after. James shook my hand one last time and drove off. All of that, and it was still afternoon.

x

Soon after the mass mine sabotage, the government had deployed restoration efforts, which could be allocated with payment. It would cost half of my budget to focus the restoration on my mines, but it was part of the plan. I contacted the restoration's organizer with an allocation request. I then filled out an allocation form online and mailed a check to the given location. Finally, I was informed that my mines would be restored within sixty days.

And so, I had executed half of my multi-industrial resumption plan. All in a day's work.

* * *

Good thing this chapter's over: I was getting bored… Next chapter will begin with news, but I promise we'll see some action.


	6. Initiative

MrEpic382FF: This story does not involve a duopoly yet. Demonopolize is a word, but I've turned it into Demonopoly as the name of a historic event, as in Prower Technologies will be demonopolizing something. I am using "tetropoly" this chapter, though.

I'm going to rewrite _Chaos Regeneration_. I feel like I didn't do nearly as good on it as I could. Also, I just read what is now my all-time favorite story: The Lightning Wars by Tails118 on DeviantArt. I'm too inspired to not rewrite _Chaos Regeneration_! That'll hinder update for, so I hope you don't mind!

I know I promised action this chapter, but it turns out that I need a little more setup for that. More than I anticipated. I'm making up for that with a two-an'-a-half times longer chapter, so enjoy!

* * *

I had two months to wait until I could start producing ProwComs again. I had already prepared the second half of my plan (finding a metal processing company to process my metal), so I really had nothing to do except work on the next ProwOS update. And watch the evening news, of course. One day—a couple weeks after buying Scavo—I sat down on the couch and switched on the television. As always, the economy was prioritized and covered first. The reporter seemed a little more tired than usual.

"For the past few weeks, the electric industry has been declining… Recently, however, various large companies have taken the initiative to solving this problem by going multi-industrial. They're currently buying up every electric business they can afford to fix. In due time, we can expect to see those electric bills going back down… While the petroleum industry has made a full recovery, the retail industry has taken a nasty turn. Because of inflation, people have been spending much less on their everyday shopping, which may only make matters worse. So hear this message from economists across the country: please spend more money in retail! Otherwise, the retail industry may require the same solution as the electric… That's all for the economy today, so let's hand it over to Tristin for the polit-"

I never liked politics. The only time I ever paid attention was during the last campaign season, even though I wasn't old enough to vote. I hopped up from the couch and headed for the kitchen.

I scoured the refrigerator for my next meal. The hunt didn't last long: I spotted a clear wrapped pot of chicken spaghetti that needed to be eaten soon. I took the pot from the fridge, peeled the wrap from its surface, and dumped the lump of poultry and pasta onto a plate. I microwaved it for a minute… Beee- Click! As soon as I opened the door, my nose was greeted with the gamy scent of my second favorite meat. I set it on the table and retrieved a fork. Just as I lifted the first bite to my mouth, my Com vibrated. I growled and put down the utinsal. The caller ID read 'EWA'. Eggman better be wrecking havoc this time!

"Yes?" I answered simply.

"Good evening, Mr. Prower." Grant. The nervous, relatively innocent representative of the EWA. "The Commander has requested your presence."

Request denied. I'm not flying for over an hour and a half just to invalidate another half-baked assumption. Kerosene costs money. That's what I would've said, but Grant was too nice to vent my annoyance on. I'd save it for the Commander. "Sorry, but he'll have to talk to me over the phone."

"Oh… I don't think that's allowed: I think this information is classified, so it's… probably against procedure to do that." My annoyance grew. Not because of Grant—of course not—but because of the EWA. It was trying to do Sonic's job—my job—and it was doing very poorly. "So… is there anything we can say to convince you to come?"

I felt compelled to save Grant from wasting his time with this job. I changed the subject. "Grant, listen… Why did you join the EWA?"

"I… Why did I join? To… I want to help defend against Eggman!" I nodded, even though he couldn't see it.

"Right. Now how much has the EWA actually done to help?" He didn't have to think very long to summon an answer.

"Well… were trying our best, but it's not very easy: Eggman's no common criminal."

"Look, I don't mean the Commander any offense by this, but I don't think he's the right guy to lead something like this." I waited for a reply. Instead of an answer, though, I heard a faint, but strong voice.

"Is he coming?" I knew it was the Commander. I couldn't hear Grant's answer, but the Commander was loud and clear. "Give that here… Good evening, Tails! We've got a bit of information regarding some suspicious activity in the electric industry. Are you up to it?"

"I'm not interested. May I speak with Grant?"

"This is very important. We ne-"

"Why not tell me what's going on now?"

"This is classified information… that may only be shared in person." I clenched my jaw.

"You want me to fly around the country, investigating every company I come across, just to fact-check another assumption? I've got much better ways to take out Eggman—ot progress that he's even doing anything! Apart from the sabatoges, of course… My spaghetti's getting cold and I still need to talk to Grant."

"Tails, this is a matter of national security!"

"Do you have facts to back that up, or are you taking swings in the dark again?"

"Four corporations have just tetropolized the electric industry! This is far more abnormal than the mining ordeal!"

"Abnormal? I just did the exact same thing: I had enough money, so I bought a failing mining company to renovate it! It's probably the most normal thing you could expect right now!" For once, the Commander didn't have a rebuttal. My voice had been gradually raising, so I lowered it again. "Sorry… I'll look into it on my own, but I really need to talk to Grant." He sighed.

"I understand." The phone was passed. There was a moment of silence before I decided to break it.

"Grant?"

"Mr. Prower," he answered. He laughed almost inaudibly "What… What exactly did you say that he didn't have an answer to?"

"Oh, that…" I twirled my fork in my spaghetti. "I told him that the tetropoly was to be expected… and that I'd done the same thing… That's not important, though: I have to talk to you."

"Alright…" His voice reeked with uncertainty. "I'm listening."

"Okay…" I had the idea I wanted to convey, but not the words. "So…" I was frantically reordering and replacing and adding and omitting words to find the right way to speak my mind. "The Commander isn't doing a very good job of… being right… He was far too hastey to… assume guilt both this time and the last… What I'm saying is that the EWA isn't very efficient… Or making any progress at all… It needs a new leader."

"Yes… I understand. And I agree! Why not request to take over the EWA?" My interest was piqued. I hadn't considered this option. "The Commander's a busy man: I'm sure he'd be happy to pass it on to you!"

"Hm… I was planning on hiring you and everyone else into Prower Technologies, but… that's a good idea! Can I talk to the Commander?"

"Uh… now? Sure!" He called for the Commander. Once again, the phone passed hands.

"Tails! Changed your mind?"

"No. Er… Kind of?" I sighed. "I want to take over the EWA." There was a pause, but it didn't last like the previous one.

"Haha! Certainly! I intended to pass leadership to our head analyst, but this is even better! Come over to HQ whenever you wish: I'll queue up the paperwork right away!"

"Eh… thanks. I'll be there tomorrow morning."

"Yes, thank you!" The phone was passed once more. Grant laughed again as soon as he was on.

"I, uh… hear you got the job?"

"Mmhm! I'll be there in the morning to sign some papers. Thanks for the idea!"

"No problem! Things will be easier when we have a leader with… more time to participate… See ya tomorrow!"

"Yeah, see ya!" I finally hung up. My throat was tired from holding my professional voice for so long, and it was ready for spaghetti! I shoveled a bite into my mouth… It was cold. I let out a short, low growl and got up to reheat my food.

x

After a delayed super, I sat down in my office to clean up a small mess that I had left on my desk. As I was sorting my papers into their spots, I came across a sticky note with the name Jim Wilkins on it. I stuck it on my desktop screen to remind myself to call him later and finished tidying my workspace. There was nothing more to do, so I opted to go to sleep early that night.

x-x-x

Some days back, the Commander mentioned the possibility of my promotion. Leader of the EWA! I had been contemplating what exactly I would do when that day came. The Commander, according to his behavior, was a wonderful military leader, but wasn't quite as fit to lead something such as this. And he knew it. When I'm in charge, we'll get things done! That'll finally earn me some recognition! Should I tell my team, though, or leave it a surprise?

A horn honked behind me, causing me to flinch. The light was green. I stepped on the gas a little too hard, causing the engine to growl in protest. It quieted down, though, and I was on my way. I decided to keep my eyes on the road for the rest of the way to work.

x

I was surprised to find that I was not the first to arrive. There was a small fox waiting at the central table of the front room. His tail swayed gently across the floor.

"Good morning!" His tail stopped swaying, and his ears flicked towards me. He looked over his shoulder.

"Morning!" he returned. After he turned back,an additional tail fell from its inadvertent hiding spot. Ah, so that's what it means… I should've guessed.

"You must be Tails!" He turned in his seat and nodded. I held out my hand. "I'm Julian Baker, head analyst of the EWA!" I had never seen a fox smile, but that's what he did as he completed the gesture.

"Nice to meet you!" I nodded in return.

"Are you waiting for the Commander?"

"Yes, do you know when he normally shows up?" I chuckled.

"Oh, he doesn't normally show up: he's pretty busy with his other duties." I had never heard a fox laugh… For that matter, I had never heard any animal laugh. I realized just how unaquainted I was with them, and seeing them behave identical to humans was a surreal experience.

"I see…" I sat down my things two chairs away from him and sat down.

"If you're here to investigate what's been going on in the electric industry, I can fill you in: no need to wait for him."

"No thanks," he declined. "I'm here for something else…"

"I see." I stood up and picked up my stuff. "I'll be in the back if you need me!"

"Alright!" He put his left arm into the table and began to tap on a device on his wrist. ProwCom… Tails Prower… Could he be… I migrated into my work area, the back room. Unlike the more welcoming front room, this room hosted a row of computers on one wall, two projectors on the other, and a meeting table in between. I slid my laptop from its leather case and turned it on. I had a bit of research to do before I started working. I pulled up a browser.

Tails Prower

The first set of results was a plethora of news websites. He shared most of the publications with Sonic, but there were a few that featured him alone. One article from six years ago stood out to me, but not enough for me to click on it.

Tails Disarms Eggman Missile, Saves Station Square from Disaster

I revised my search.

Tails Prower Wikipedia

Wikipedia, I knew, had information on every notable person. Sure enough, I found exactly what I was looking for. I clicked the link and scanned the information bar to the right.

Born: August 19, 1983; Westside Island1

Residence: Central City, Andricston, U.F.

Specie: Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

Occupation: Technology inventor and entrepreneur; Eggman Resistance Team (formerly known as Freedom Fighters2)

Title: CEO and Founder of Prower Technologies3; "Sonic's sidekick"

I found exactly what I wanted to know: Prower Technologies. I wasn't going to pursue the subject any further: it was only a whim of curiosity. Besides, I heard the Commander enter the other room. It was time to get to work.

x-x-x

Julian would have been next to lead if I hadn't come along to take that position. I didn't know if he was aware of that or not, but I hoped for the latter.

The Commander was rather timely to show up. He sat a stack of papers next to my spot on the table. "Morning, Tails," he greeted. I echoed the formality as he spread the papers in front of me. "You'll need to fill out everything here. There's a few more steps after this, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it… Well, let's get to it!"

x-x-x

My team began to show up one by one. As each one entered the room, I marked them off of my mental attendance list. I glanced at my watch. Six AM. Five analysts sat at their computers in a neat row, diligently tapping away at their keyboards. But five was less than six, leaving one computer unoccupied. Minutes later, the sixth analyst then entered the room.

"What took you, Garner?"

"Er… Got rear-ended at a traffic light. I honked at someone sitting at a green light, and… I'm not sure what happened…"

Oof… My bad…

"Hm… Well, you're here, now… Alright, everyone!" The sounds rapid of typing ceased, and the team congregated at the meeting table. "The Commander's got some news for us! I'll go see if he's ready to… Well, here he is!" The Commander was just walking through the door. The fox followed behind him. I allowed the two to take my place and joined my team on the other side of the table. The human clasped the fox's shoulder.

"This is Tails. It won't be official until a few days, but he'll be in charge from now on. Give me a call if there's a problem." With a final pat on the shoulder, he made to leave. Before exiting, though, he addressed me. "Show him around: fill him in on whatever he needs to know."

I was feeling a little light headed, but I agreed.

* * *

No more promises from me! My next post will be the first chapter of my Chaos Regeneration rewrite, so I'll be a while on this next one. See ya then!


	7. Tetropoly Investigation, Part One

I hope to see action very soon, but, like I said, no promises because I'm making all of this up as I go along. I hope this turns out enjoyable!

* * *

My first order of action, of course, was to validate the suspicions in the electric industry. Although I was against meddling in the situation before, things had changed. I was on a state salary, so I didn't have to spend every waking hour keeping ProwComs on the market. Also, more disturbances had been occurring in the electric tetropoly, so I was obligated to look into it.

One day, I walked into the research room to find all of the analysts working diligently. They were called analysts, but I came to find that they did much more than analyse data. They collected the data, did research, contacted all relevant people, and did anything else they could do to understand the subject they were investigating. Four of them were doing research from the computers, while the other two were discussing some pieces of data.

Julian was nowhere to be found, so I snuck behind the two to hold a secret audit. They were discussing email responses from the managers of the electric plants and their new owning companies. From what I gathered, about ninety percent of them responded to their emails, and over half of those didn't feel suspicious of the circumstances whatsoever. Most of the remaining ones were only mildly wary, as anyone would be to new ownership, but one response in particular stood out to them. This drew my attention even further, so I listened in closely as one of them read the response aloud.

"This one's from Mr. Tulner… He says… 'I have, in fact, noticed that the CEO of our new company was behaving strangely. As the plant manager, I have to turn in monthly reports to the nearest Newman Industries building. For me, that's the company's main location, so I see the CEO pretty often. Yesterday was my first report, and I met the CEO while I was there. It seemed like he was paranoid, but trying to hide it. I minored in psychology, so I know for a fact that stress alone can't do this. Along with the stress of being a CEO, he feels threatened in some way, but I don't know why. According to his assistant, he's been like this for only a week. I hope this information is usef-'"

I was tapped on the shoulder. I made a sound in response, causing all three of us to turn around. It was Julian.

"Carry on, you two," he ordered. He didn't say anything to me, only handed me an envelope. I took it, and he turned to leave. I abandoned the unofficial audit and retreated to my new office. Inside the envelope was a resignation letter.

 _Mr. Prower,_

 _Please do not take my resignation personally. I am glad that the EWA is in capable hands, but I have personal matters with Commander Marshall that I am not allowed to settle if I work in a department related to GUN. I would be charged with insubordination, of course._

 _My team is a group of very hardworking individuals, so there should never be any problems. I am almost certain that they can take a change in leadership just fine. Since I'm leaving, you will be their only leader: you must work with them rather than above them; communicate consistently; and be confident, positive, inspiring, dedicated, and, above all, honest. In the end, you're the one calling the shots, so use your greatest judgement in tracking down Eggman. You know better than anyone how dangerous corrupt intelligence can be. If he has wisened up and is, in fact, continuing his evil plans in silence, then you and your team may be the only hope we have against him. Please do your best, possibly for the sake of the world._

 _Best of luck,_

 _Julian Baker_

Attached to the letter were papers that verified his official disassociation from the EWA. I hurried out to say goodbye, only to find that he was already gone. Then and there, I was determined to stick to Julian's advice to the best of my ability.

x

I did my best to be as involved as possible with the team's work. A first name basis was quickly established. From there, we spent the next week building an investigation report. Several days afterwards, I stayed a while after work to review the final report. It was a few pages in length. In summary, the CEO of Newman Industries was described by several of his workers as paranoid (their exact accounts took up most of the report's pages). He was soon tested and diagnosed as such. Whether he would maintain his position or not was undetermined. It also mentioned that… the EWA was approved to conduct a "civil questioning." This wasn't in there before. I had no idea what meant by "civil," either, but it was scheduled for the day after tomorrow. I wondered who would be conducting it.

 _I'll just have to wait and get those answers tomorrow_

x

I started the next workday sitting in the back room with the report in hand. Whenever the first analyst arrived, I called him over to ask some questions.

"Good morning, Jerry. I have some questions about this report…"

"Alright…" He took a seat next to me. "I dunno too much about it, but I'll see what I can do for ya…" I flipped through the document to where i found the "civil questioning" and pointed to it.

"What's that mean?"

"Civil questionin'? Well, in most interrogations you're yellin' at criminals or suspects, but this guy's just a civilian. There's no yellin', no need to use those interrogation methods 'cause he'll probably answer all o' your questions without a problem… so it's pretty much just a survey."

"Huh… Who'll be conducting it?"

"Uh… You…"

"Oh…"

"We're gettin' the questions together for you to ask 'em tomorrow. Don't worry about a thing! Unless you wanna make some o' your own questions." A second analyst came into the room and clocked in. "Just a secon': I forgot to clock in… Mornin', Nate!" He stood and clocked in before returning to his seat. "So… is that it?"

I searched my head for any questions, but came up empty. "That's all. Thanks!"

"No pro'lem. We're havin' a meetin' when everyone gets here," he added as he stood to go to his station.

x

Just as Jerry had mentioned, everyone congregated around the central table for a meeting once everyone was present. Merina was the one to start it off.

"Is everyone here? Good… Sorry you didn't know about this, Tails. It was a last minute occurrence while you were out for supper yesterday… Anyways, we've got some work to get done before tomorrow. We've got to make a list of questions, of course, so here's the plan: for the first thirty minutes, we'll all be researching any relevant topics and marking anything we want to ask about it. After that time's up, Nick and I will start making questions out of everyone's information… Since you'll be the one asking the questions, Tails, I'd suggest requesting Mr. Newman's test results to get a feel for his… mental state. He's probably not unstable, but we need to make sure. We'll be facing some heavy liabilities if we… I dunno: I'm no psychiatrist. We just need to send him back exactly how we got him." I nodded to let her know I understood.

 _I shouldn't be able to set him off if it's just mild paranoia like the report said… Unless his distrust isn't really unfounded…_

"Good. Any questions? Objections? Nate?"

"How many questions should we expect to end up with?"

"Between five and twenty. Maybe thirty. It really just depends on how much we need to know. Anyone else? Alright, let's get to work!"

* * *

Honestly, I'm getting tired of working on this chapter, so I'll cut it here…

I've named four of the six of Tails's team: Jerry, Nate, Merina, and Nick. I don't know if they'll be very big characters or not, but we'll see. Any suggestions for the last two names?


End file.
